Chapter 70

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Difficult! So Difficult!

The boundless clouds and flowing water of the Celestial River, surging with waves, became much calmer as they approached this place.

A young girl, dressed in a sapphire-blue satin robe with arrow-sleeves, her black hair tied back with a ribbon, sat cross-legged on a green stone. Her gaze was somewhat vacant as she stared at the shimmering light before her.

She had given the mirror to Qi Wuhuo, and now she was using the spirit treasure that was already here, employing the [Round Light Manifestation Technique]. Yet as she looked at the divine technique described on its surface, especially the youth’s evaluation, she couldn’t help but grit her teeth:

“This is way, way too hard!”

“And you called it simple.”

“Qi Wuhuo!!! How could you possibly think this was simple?!”

“Isn’t that right, Uncle Niu?”

The girl gritted her teeth and looked at the old yellow ox beside her, only to find that it didn’t respond.

Left with no choice, she propped her chin up with both hands, sighed wistfully, and said:

“I’ve been practicing all day and still haven’t mastered it…”

“I barely managed to write two characters.”

The old yellow ox leisurely munched on the [Yellow Sprouts] nurtured in this [Heavenly Field]. This spiritual root, which grew painfully slow—yielding only three dou and three sheng over a thousand years—had partly been consumed by this old ox. For a being of his cultivation, this was merely something to satisfy his cravings, offering no real benefit.

Hearing her complaint, he merely chuckled and offered some comforting words: “Well, he is that person’s disciple, after all.”

He praised approvingly:

“With his current foundation and cultivation, learning the [Round Light Manifestation Technique] within a year is already commendable.”

“To then create a divine technique from it within the same year, using it for transmitting messages.”

“One could indeed call him a prodigy.”

Yun Qin nodded, naturally expressing her recognition of the rare friend she had made who was of the same age.

She said: “Qi Wuhuo is a genius!”

“And he’s really interesting!”

Then, blinking her eyes mischievously, she coquettishly pleaded: “Uncle Niu, can you help me cast this spell and send the message for me?”

“This is way too hard. If I have to learn it, several days would have already passed.”

The old yellow ox slowly shook his head, chuckling as he replied: “If it’s just a playful matter between you young ones, this old ox would rather not interfere. Besides, Qi Wuhuo managed to create such a technique. Are you telling me you can’t even cultivate enough to learn it? You also have a renowned teacher guiding you, and your foundation and upbringing are far superior to Qi Wuhuo’s in the past. How can you afford to slack off to this extent?”

“If your cultivation isn’t sufficient and you cannot extend your life, even your parents won’t be able to help you.”

“If your spiritual nature and mental cultivation are inadequate, you won’t be able to withstand the frost and hardships accumulated over a long life. The memories an ordinary soul can bear are no more than those of someone aged one hundred and twenty. Should someone live for a thousand years, either they will continually forget memories, eventually forgetting even themselves, leaving their spirit completely filled with countless fragmented memories, turning into utter confusion.”

“This is the root of what they call [forgetfulness in old age].”

“The so-called [death without illness] is when the body can still live, but the soul has already perished.”

“Otherwise, they would crumble under the weight of the marks left by countless years.”

“As the saying goes, ‘cultivating nature without cultivating life, the myriad calamities of the yin soul cannot enter sainthood.’ Yet the yin soul’s heart and nature can persist for long periods. However, suppose one relies solely on consuming celestial treasures and earthly elixirs to extend the lifespan of the body without cultivating the heart and nature. In that case, the body ceases to be a [vessel] that shields against the frost of time. Instead, it becomes a prison—a lightless and doorless cage.”

“When the spirit is weak, it cannot bear the experiences of a long life, nor can it drive a strong body capable of living a thousand years.”

“When the spirit and body are mismatched, the spirit will eventually collapse within the body.”

“This is the [aging] of an immortal—not the aging of the body, but the aging of the heart.”

“Yun Qin, you must remember this and never allow yourself to slack off in the slightest.”

The old yellow ox offered earnest guidance, but as he concluded, his tone carried a trace of sternness.

The young girl nodded, taking his words to heart. Left with no other choice, she continued to ponder over the incantation. She had managed to learn the basics in just one day, but her grasp was still shaky. The instability of her spiritual energy caused the transmitted text to disperse halfway through. After some time, the sky rumbled with waves of thunder, and as multicolored lights swirled, flashes of lightning streaked across the heavens with great momentum.

The old yellow ox raised his head, a puzzled look crossing his face. “Strange.”

“It seems there’s some commotion among the immortals of the Divine Firmament Jade Purity Thunder Mansion. Could something have gone wrong?”

“Those immortals from the Thunder Mansion are rarely seen, busy as they are with managing clouds and rain, expelling evil, and binding spirits. Why would they all appear today?”

He felt a spark of curiosity. The heavenly realms were ordinarily mundane, and any unusual event was a rare diversion. Yet, he could not simply leave the young girl behind. As he hesitated, he caught sight of auspicious clouds swirling nearby. After a quick calculation, his heart lightened, though his expression remained unchanged. Speaking with the gentle tone of an elder, he said:

“Yun Qin, your teacher, [Lady Danhua, the Celestial Monarch of Talismanic Resonance], is about to arrive.”

“She is one of the true disciples under the Lingbao Heavenly Venerable and a close friend of your mother. She inherited the teachings of the [Twenty-Seventh Chapter of the Lingbao Immeasurable Sutra of Universal Salvation]. You have been granted a great opportunity, so you must diligently cultivate under her guidance. Do not slack off in the slightest. Do you understand?!”

The young girl had no choice but to agree, though the mere mention of her teacher’s name filled her with both fear and awe.

When the auspicious clouds parted, revealing the Celestial Monarch’s arrival, the old yellow ox exchanged a few pleasantries before summoning a cloud beneath his hooves. He trotted off in the direction of the thunder, eager to investigate the rare spectacle. In no time, he had already mingled with the immortals of the Thunder Mansion, casually gathering information.

Meanwhile, Yun Qin hurriedly stowed away her incantations and waited obediently for her teacher’s arrival.

The Celestial Monarch appeared to be around twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old. Her makeup was meticulous, and her expression was stern. She wore a pale-yellow belt cinched at her slender waist, cloud shoes on her feet, and was carried by an auspicious cloud. A jade pendant and bells hung from her waist, gently swaying. Her black hair was styled in a high bun, adorned with a golden phoenix hairpin tilted at an angle, its wings spread as if ready to take flight. A vermilion mark sat at the center of her brow, while her lips bore a pale, delicate hue. Her gaze was sharp, carrying an air of piercing authority.

Dressed in fitted arrow-sleeved attire, Yun Qin respectfully performed her formal greeting.

The Celestial Monarch lowered her gaze, nodding slightly before instructing Yun Qin to sit upon the green stone. She began to explain the profound scriptures, saying: “With your current cultivation level, you are not yet qualified to formally enter my tutelage. First, cultivate the [True Scripture]. Only after will I teach you the oral incantations and divine arts. As long as you comprehend the essence and heart method of cultivation, even without specific techniques or mantras, a person of high comprehension can observe the rising sun and setting moon to discern a path of cultivation.”

“Discern a path of cultivation from observing the sun and moon?”

Yun Qin asked in wonder. “Are there truly such people?”

Lady Danhua, the Celestial Monarch of Talismanic Resonance, shook her head gently. “If such individuals did not exist, who, then, created the methods of cultivation you now practice?”

“If the predecessors could establish sects and schools, why should their successors be incapable of doing the same? Should the present generation forever remain inferior to the past? If that were so, the elders of old would surely feel regret.”

Yun Qin nodded, accepting her teacher’s wisdom. She immersed herself in studying the profound truths hidden within the sutra. However, as her understanding deepened, her spirit became sluggish, struggling to grasp the intricacies of the teachings. Sensing this, the Celestial Monarch naturally paused, allowing Yun Qin to digest the day’s lessons. As Yun Qin gradually consolidated her insights, she felt her comprehension of the Dao and the path of cultivation draw slightly closer, though it still seemed distant. It was as if she were veiled by a mist—tangible yet elusive, present yet ethereal.

Lady Danhua, the Celestial Monarch of Talismanic Resonance, said in a rare gentle manner:  “The path of cultivation cannot be rushed. It must be approached steadily, with balance. A rhythm of tension and relaxation—that is the proper way.”

“Driving yourself too hard may appear diligent, but in truth, it strains your spirit. It’s like a blazing sun suspended high in the sky, never setting. Over time, it will inevitably harm your foundation and drain your essence. You would be better served by taking more time to play and rejuvenate.”

Yun Qin nodded again. After finishing the sutra’s teachings, she naturally began asking questions about various techniques and divine arts.

Lady Danhua, the Celestial Monarch of Talismanic Resonance, answered each one patiently.

Suddenly, an idea sparked in Yun Qin’s mind. She recalled the self-created incantation mentioned by the young Daoist. While she found it incredibly challenging to learn, her teacher would undoubtedly be able to discern its intricacies with a single glance. Thinking this was an excellent opportunity for guidance, she produced the transcription of the incantation she had copied and said: “Teacher, what do you think of this divine art?”

Lady Danhua, the Celestial Monarch of Talismanic Resonance, accepted the scroll with a faint smile. With a single glance, her expression shifted to one of mild surprise as she remarked,

“This is… a self-created spell derived from the Round Light Manifestation Technique found in the [Supreme Clarity Bright Mirror True Sutra]?”

Yun Qin nodded repeatedly.

After carefully examining the entirety of the incantation, the Celestial Monarch smiled and said: “Exemplary.”

“Though the details still show some immaturity and minor errors, it is naturally graceful and carries a unique flair of its own.”

“It could be categorized as a [Mysterious Method].”

“Mysterious Methods, while the lowest among the five categories of Daoist teachings in the Canon, cannot compare to Profound Chapters or True Sutras. Nevertheless, for someone with your level of cultivation to create something of this nature, it seems I have underestimated you before. My disciple truly possesses remarkable comprehension.”

Yun Qin, her lips curling into a faintly proud smile, was just about to explain that the incantation had actually been created by her friend when the Celestial Monarch spoke again, still smiling:

“However, you possess the [Dragon-Patterned Ancient Mirror], and yet you chose not to rely on it to perform the Round Light Manifestation Technique. Instead, you crafted your own technique. Such reliance on one’s cultivation and Daoist insight is indeed befitting of a disciple of our Daoist sect.”

The words froze on her lips.

Suddenly, she detected something amiss in her teacher’s tone. Tilting her head slightly, she cautiously asked,

“Teacher, this [Dragon-Patterned Ancient Mirror] you mentioned is…”

Lady Danhua, the Celestial Monarch of Talismanic Resonance, still in a pleasant mood from reading the scroll, chuckled and replied:

“Are you not aware?”

“In your parents’ grand wedding. Since the Grand Supreme Martial Uncle spoke, my master, [The Great Compassion, Great Vow, Great Saint, Great Mercy, Jade Pure Dao Sovereign, Supreme Clarity Lingbao Heavenly Sovereign], casually bestowed one of the spiritual treasures he refined back then. Furthermore, as your parents are both Star Lords under the North Emperor’s command, this treasure was refined by my master and personally delivered by the Northern Emperor himself.”

“It was a wedding gift for your parents.”

“Quite a remarkable treasure. Your mother, however, casually passed it on to you. She truly dotes on you.”

“Qin’er, have you been keeping it safe and well?”

PS:

Celestial Monarch of Talismanic Resonance

Her title is derived from the [Lingbao Infinite Salvation Upper Grade Sutra, Vol. 27, Purple Radiance and Elixir Spirits], recorded in the Dongzhen Daoist Canon.

As such, she is part of the Lingbao lineage.

Jade Pure Dao Sovereign: The Dao title of the Lingbao Heavenly Sovereign originates from the Supreme Clarity Precious Invocation.